Faithful Shepherd, Scattered Sheep | Matthew 26:31-32

[00:00:00] Real Truth Daily. This is Daily Truths with Dave Ahlman.

[00:00:07] Hi everybody, welcome back to Daily Truths. Have you ever had it where you thought of something really sinful and then you didn't think you were capable of actually doing it, but then later you actually did it or you said it or you thought it and you felt tremendous guilt?

[00:00:24] Hmm. We're in the book of Matthew chapter 26 and remember Jesus has celebrated the Passover with his disciples and then instituted the Lord's Supper and then they sang a hymn and they headed to the Mount of Olives and this is what it says in verse 31.

[00:00:40] Then Jesus said to them, you will all fall away because of me this night for it is written I will strike this shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.

[00:00:51] Hmm. What happened that night? Jesus appeared before Pilate and the disciples were a no show.

[00:00:57] Jesus appeared before Herod and they didn't show up then either.

[00:01:01] Jesus appeared before Caiaphas and the religious leaders. Nope, no appearance then.

[00:01:06] The very thing that Jesus said they would do, they did.

[00:01:11] And I think they felt like they weren't capable of doing that and after they didn't show up for those three different events when the shepherd was being struck

[00:01:19] and the sheep didn't show up and they were scattered.

[00:01:23] I think the guilt that they felt that night had to be almost overwhelming, right?

[00:01:29] Oh my goodness. At least Peter was in the courtyard, but he betrayed Jesus, right?

[00:01:35] When that happened or denied Jesus when that happened.

[00:01:37] So you think about all these disciples who were so connected to Jesus and think about all the things they saw, right?

[00:01:44] Think about the miracles that they saw, the parables that they heard Jesus teach.

[00:01:49] Think about all the incredible interactions that Christ had with so many different people.

[00:01:53] You'd think that no matter what they'd stand up for Jesus and they would not be scattered.

[00:01:59] But no, no appearances.

[00:02:03] They were no shows.

[00:02:05] They didn't show up.

[00:02:09] Wow.

[00:02:10] But before we throw too many stones at those guys, think about us.

[00:02:16] Think about how many times we've made promises to God that we didn't keep.

[00:02:20] Think about how many times we said we would do the right thing and did the wrong thing.

[00:02:25] Think about how many times we thought about things that we said we're not capable.

[00:02:28] I'm not capable of doing that.

[00:02:29] And we did the very thing we said we weren't capable of doing.

[00:02:34] And yet what happened?

[00:02:35] We felt guilt, remorse, regret.

[00:02:39] Here's the marvelous thing though I've got to share with you.

[00:02:42] Listen to this.

[00:02:43] But after I'm raised up, this is Jesus saying this.

[00:02:46] After I'm raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.

[00:02:50] Jesus restored his disciples.

[00:02:52] He saw them again in Galilee.

[00:02:54] And I believe he didn't have a word of condemnation or ridicule or rebuke or correction or wagging

[00:03:01] his fingers saying you guys messed up.

[00:03:03] Of course, he didn't do that on the night that he rose from the dead.

[00:03:06] On the day that he rose from the dead, he made an appearance to the disciples.

[00:03:09] No word of condemnation.

[00:03:11] No word of, oh, you guys messed up.

[00:03:13] And he just restored them all the more when he saw them in Galilee.

[00:03:17] This is the thing.

[00:03:18] This is what Jesus does for us.

[00:03:20] We have remorse, regret, and deep guilt about the things that we do and say and think.

[00:03:29] Or leave unsaid.

[00:03:30] Leave undone.

[00:03:32] Things that we should do that we don't do.

[00:03:34] Things that we should say that we don't say.

[00:03:36] And the remorse and regret we feel is very real.

[00:03:40] But what does Jesus do?

[00:03:41] He shows up.

[00:03:43] He loves.

[00:03:44] He forgives.

[00:03:45] He consoles.

[00:03:46] He reconciles.

[00:03:48] And he pardons.

[00:03:49] Friends, how cool is that?

[00:03:53] And friends, this is why we go to church too.

[00:03:55] I mean, we can think about all the things that we do wrong during the week and then we show up to church.

[00:04:00] And three different times we hear the proclamation in a worship service that our sins, though they be as scarlet or as white as snow.

[00:04:08] We hear that in the confession absolution.

[00:04:10] We hear that in the proclamation of the word from the pastor.

[00:04:13] We see that, experience that, taste that, feel that when we take the Lord's Supper.

[00:04:19] Three different times we hear that we are okay.

[00:04:22] Oh, much more than okay.

[00:04:24] That we are pardoned and loved and forgiven by God.

[00:04:27] Hmm.

[00:04:29] The disciples had to wonder how in the world could we have been so stupid in not showing up for Jesus, being scattered like sheep, just as he said.

[00:04:39] Well, they were sinful.

[00:04:41] And so are we.

[00:04:43] But Jesus understands that.

[00:04:45] And he comes to us with his love and grace and mercy.

[00:04:49] And we are still his.

[00:04:51] Remember, we said that the fourth cup was taken from when Jesus was celebrating a Passover with his disciples.

[00:04:59] Remember, they drank wine the fourth time.

[00:05:01] And the fourth time that Jesus is going to be drinking wine with us is going to be in heaven.

[00:05:07] Right.

[00:05:07] And that fourth cup symbolizes out of Exodus chapter six.

[00:05:12] I will be your God and you will be my people.

[00:05:15] That can be said about us right now.

[00:05:18] He is our God and we are his people.

[00:05:21] And when we're scattered like sheep, he finds us.

[00:05:26] He lifts us up.

[00:05:27] He holds us.

[00:05:29] And he says, you belong to me.

[00:05:33] How great is that?

[00:05:35] How awesome is our savior?

[00:05:37] How wonderful are the truths of God's word?

[00:05:41] And that is today's Daily Truth.

[00:05:43] Have a great day in the Lord Jesus Christ.

[00:05:46] Thank you for tuning in to Daily Truths with Dave Allman.

[00:05:48] Pastor Dave Allman is the pastor of Mount Hope Church in Boulder, Colorado.

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